Putin wants to meet Elton John to discuss 'any questions'

Elton John did not believe at first that he was going to speak to Russian President Putin himself on the phone. The Russian side had to take quite an effort to convince the British singer of that, Putin's official spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, Pravda.Ru reports.

"The initiative to call was relayed through the Russian ambassador to London, Alexander Yakovenko, who at first experienced problems in explaining that he was indeed the Russian ambassador and that the President of Russia indeed had an intention to talk to the musician," Peskov said.

According to Peskov, it was "the diplomacy of our ambassador" that eventually convinced the singer to take the call from Putin.

"In this case, the President deemed it necessary to express his good feelings about the initiative against the background of the prank call to Elton John. The president said that he would be ready to discuss any questions that Elton John would be interested in, if their work schedules coincide for that," Dmitry Peskov said.

Peskov also said that Putin asked Elton John not to take offense at the Russian pranksters.